The Center for Materials Research

Welcome to the web sites of the Center for Materials Research: Welcome to the web sites of the Center for Materials Research!

The Center for Materials Research is an interdisciplinary university research center at JLU.
It is dedicated to the implementation of joint research projects, the support of the study courses in materials science and it promotes scientific qualification in materials research.

An overview of our scientific team is available under
Team & Topics.

The center provides the participating research groups with central experimental resources in its
Method Platforms.

The ZfM coordinates the JLU research profile area ("area of potential")
Material and Energy (focus: storage materials).

Further information on our tasks can be found under
About us.

August: Picture of the Month - August 2024

Influence of Coinage Metal(111) Surfaces on the Halogen Bond Strength of Bromo/Iodobenzene

The concept of halogen bonding strength is well established, with its strength increasing with the polarisability of the halogen, resulting in the following order within the gas phase: F < Cl < Br < I. However, a recent experimental study has shown that the known order can change when the halogen bond occurs on a surface. Overall, a halogen bond is formed by the interaction between a high electron density region of one molecule and a low electron density region (the σ hole) of a second molecule. When the σ hole is no longer planar with the high electron density region of the other molecule, the strength of the halogen bond is weakened. The influence of the σ hole orientation on the halogen bonding strength was investigated in this study using bromo/iodobenzene on metal(111) surfaces (Cu, Ag and Au). Quantum chemical calculations showed that the Br σ hole orientation is not affected by the coinage metal surface. However, the I σ hole is otherwise oriented towards the Cu(111) surface, weakening the halogen bond. A similar phenomenon occurs on a Ag(111) surface but not on Au(111). This is described in: DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c07555.

Dieses Bild wurde eingereicht von Prof. Dr. Doreen Mollenhauer.

Further insights into the research activities of the ZfM groups can be found in the Gallery.

Portlet links engl.

Management of the Center

Study Programs in Materials' Science

Neuigkeiten aus dem Zentrum und aus den Fachgebieten: ZfM and CELEST strengthen cooperation on the basis of a Memorandum of Understanding; DFG-Forschungsgruppe FOR MOST auf YouTube; LOEWE-Transfer-Professur für Prof. Dr. Sangam Chatterjee; Leibniz-Preis 2024 für Prof. Dr. Peter R. Schreiner; Arbeitsgruppe Prof. Schippers an bedeutenden Erkenntnissen zu molekularen Anregungszuständen beteiligt; More ...